Recirculating water supply system for swimming pools

ABSTRACT

A recirculating water supply system for swimming pools is provided which includes, around a pool, a perimeter drain gutter with adjustable scuppers, skimmers and overflow louvers in communication with the gutter. A collection box is attached to the drain gutter with connections to a pump and filter to return the filtered water to the pool uniformly through nozzles spaced around the gutter. The system may be provided with an optional surge tank connected to the collection box providing storage space to compensate for sudden water level variations in the pool.

[ Sept. 30, 1975 United States Patent 11 ,,1

van den Broek Hough Baker lllll 221.11 77777 Cc mm mum nlfialal 7777 www HMWM w unmm 8885 4666 33333 m k. P L m P r Um B SD- m RG 0. E u T 3 AM W M A w .I 0 WW mm u R o mo Wu F U CM r R E m IT n mw v RS ..m 4 N 5 7 [73] Assigncc: KDI Sylvan Pools, lnc., Doylcstown.

Prinmry E.\umi n0rHenry K. Artis Attorney. Agent, or FirmZachary T. Wobcnsmith, [22] plied: June 1973 2nd; Zachary T. Wobensmith, lll

] Appl. No.: 373,629

ABSTRACT 7 7 pools is provided which includes, around a pool, a pc- 3 mil UIF HUM 555 rimeter drain gutter with adjustable scuppers, skimmers and overflow louvers in communication with the gutter. A collection box is attached to the drain gutter References Clied with connections to a pump and filter to return the fil- UNITED STATES PATENTS tcrcd water to the pool uniformly throu gh nozzles spaced around the gutter. The system may be providcd with an optional surge tank connected to the collection box providing stora ge space to compensate for sudden water level variations in the pool. Whitten. Jr. 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures N M m mm mw US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,908,207

LE \k BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a recirculating watersupply system for pools of the type wherein the system compensate for water level variation by controlling the water overflow from the pool and may utilize a surge tank for sudden water level variation.

2. Description of the'Prior Art There has been considerable effort expanded in attempting to provide recirculating water supply systems for swimming pools wherein the water level in the pool can be maintained at an optimum level regardless of the number of persons in the pool.

It is essential for public bathing pools that the water in the pool overflow, be filtered constantly, returned uniformly, and that the pools does not overflow with water loss when the number of persons bathing in the pool is at maximum. I

In the normal operation or a swimming pool and particularly a public swimming pool, there is great variation in the number of persons in thepool at any one time. The water level in the pool is displaced whenever one person enters the pool and when the pool has a large number of persons entering it suddenly, a large amount of water is displaced and may spill over the coping surrounding the pool and be lost if compensation for the displacement is not made.

In addition, water may be lost from splash out due to the water sport activities of the bathers.

When a number of persons leave the pool from which water has been lost or removed, the water remaining in the pool may be at a level which is too low for proper spill over and recirculation or skimming as is required by many public health codes.

.The pool operator with previously available systems is required to constantly observe the water level and add or substract water in order to maintain the water level at a proper height for skimming, but below the total overflowlevel where it would flow out and be lost.

Various systems have been proposed to-solve the problems of uniform filtered water supply and water level maintenance but all of them have required complicated water level sensing devices and/or constant operator supervision.

The system of my invention automatically maintains an optimum water level in the pool and has many other advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A recirculating water supply system for swimming pools is provided that includes a perimeter drain gutter withadjustable skimmers; scuppers; and overflow lou-v vers at different levels controlling the amount and level of water in the pool and flowing into the gutter where it drains into a collection box which has a pump and filter connected thereto. A surge tank may be provided connected to the collection box to accommodate sudden large pool water level variations. The filtered water is uniformly returned to the pool through nozzles spaced around the gutter perimeter.- i

The principal object of the invention is to provide a recirculating water supply system for swimming pools which provides an optimum flow of filtered water to a pool regardless ofthe number of persons using the pool to a predetermined maximum. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a water supply system as aforesaid wherein overflow of the pool water at the pool perimeter at maximum bathing capacity is avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water supply system as aforesaid which requires a minimum of operator supervision.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a water supply system as aforesaid which requires a minimum of maintenance.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims. I

.DESCRIPTION-OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanyin g drawings formingpart thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts broken away, illustrating the gutter portion of the water supply system of my invention, attached to'the walls of -25 the pool;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view enlarged, taken approximately on the line 22 of FIG; 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of FIG. I;

FIG. 5 is .a view in perspective illustrating a portion of the system of my invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating another portion of the system of my invention;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 77 of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the water flow system of.my invention.

It should, of course; be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.-

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings and FIGS. 1 to 7 thereof, a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown installed on a structural aluminum vinyl liner pool of the type shown and described in my prior US. Pat. No.'3,584,319.

engaged by post 24 which are driven into the ground (not shown).

The top rail 14 carries the panels 11 in a groove l6 and has diagonal braces 25 engaged therewith spaced around the exterior of the panels 11 between the channels 15.

A perimeter gutter 28 is provided which extends around the inside of the pool with a vertical wall 29 extending downwardly between the channels 15 and the top rail 14 with a gasket intcrposed therebetween and secured hereto by the bolts 20 and nuts 21.

The gutter 28 may be formed or extruded from aluminum. and has an opening provided with a removable cover plate 35. The wall 29 has an integral bottom wall 36 extending perpendicularly therefrom, an integral rear wall 37 extends vertically upwardly from the bottom wall 36, a top wall 39 integral with the rear wall 37 extends forwardly parallel to wall 36 with an angularly inclined downwardly extending inner wall 40 con nected to the top wall 39.

A wall 41 extends forwardly connected to wall 40 and provides support for one edge of the cover 35. The cover 35 is composed of a plurality of short sections andextends around the perimeter of the pool, it may be of ribbed construction for strength and preferably has a top non-slip surface 42.

The cover sections 35 are supported at their innermost locations by an outwardly extending wall 43 connected to a semi-circular handgrip 45 which extends around the perimeter of the pool and is preferably provided with an exterior non-slip surface 46 which may be ribbed or roughened as desired.

The cover sections 35 have dimpled portions 47 which engage with a rib 48 on the handgrip 45 to provide better retention of the cover sections 35.

Connectors 50 are provided which have hook like projections 51 engaged with the wall 41, the wall 40 and the handgrip 45 at spaced locations around the pool to aid in tying the gutter 28 together into a rigid unit.

The handgrip 45 has a vertical downwardly extending front wall 52 which carries a longitudinally extending stop projection 53. Skimmer openings 55 are provided in the handgrip 45 spaced around the pool, for water skimming and may be controlled by rotatable shutters 56 carried within the handgrip 45. The shutters 56 are provided with handles 56a to aid in positioning.

The wall 52 is provided with tracks 57 on the rear thereofone of which is on the other side of stops 53 and the other of which is formed between the wall 52 and a vertically extending projection 58 carried on the handgrip bottom wall 60.

The wall 52 may be provided with scupper openings 61 spaced therealong and preferably at the ends of the pool.

Shutters 62 are carried in the tracks 57 and movable therealong to control the openings 61. The shutters 62 have handles 63 for positioning.

The wall has a vertical wall 65 integral therewith extending downwardly and a bottom panel member 66 extending inwardly with a portion 67 engaged in a groove 68 in the top rail 14. The portion 67 and groove 68 each have teeth 64 thereon and engage in a snap fit.

The top rail 14 has a front wall portion 69 spaced downwardly from the member 66 with a groove 70 therebehind which can receive an edge bead 71 of a vinyl pool liner 72.

Within the gutter 28, a water supply pipe is provided supported by vertically extending plates 74 spaced around the gutter and secured to the bottom wall 36. The pipe 75 is preferably constructed of polyvinylchloride (PVC) or other lightweight corrosion resistant material and provided with holes 76 at spaced locations with pipes 77 secured thereto by saddle clamps 80 of well known type. The pipes 77 have nozzle assemblies 81 engaged therewith by interior and exterior threaded sleeves 85 which have a front flange 86 engaged with wall 52, a rear nut 84, and a nozzle 87 held in an exteriorly threaded sleeve 88 by means of a threaded sleeve 89. The nozzles 87 are free to move up and down within the sleeve 88 for water direction.

The wall 40 may be provided with overflow louvers 90 to permit water to flow into the interior of gutter 28. The gutter 28 which is formed of sections bolted together has meeting end connecting walls secured to and between walls 37, 39, and 40 of adjacent sections and bolts 101 engaged therewith retaining the walls 100 and sections together.

Connecting walls 105 are provided in the handgrip 45 at the ends of adjacent sections with bolts 106 securing them together.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it is noted that the gutter 28 has a collection box 110 engaged with the bottom wall 36 which is sloped so that water entering the gutter at any location flows around and into the box 110. The box 110 extends downwardly behind the panels 11 and has a pipe connected thereto which extendsto a surge tank 116. The surge tank 116 can be of any suitable construction, may be similar to that of the pool and preferably is fitted with a cover 117. k

The surge tank 116 is of a capacity below its uppermost water line at least equal to the volume of water in the pool between the scuppers 61 in the wall 52 and the overflow louvers 90 in the wall 40.

The box 110 has a second pipe 120 connected thereto at the same level as pipe 1 l5 and extending vertically upwardly to a pump 121 of well known type and mounted on the concrete apron or decking 122 surrounding the pool. The pump 121 has a pipe 125 connected to it and to a filter tank 126 of well known type. which may be filled with sand or other suitable filtration and dirt removing materials.

The tank 126 has a return pipe 128 connected to it and to the water supply pipe 75 for returning filtered water to the pool 10 through the nozzles 87.

The mode of operation will not be pointed out.

With no one bathing in the pool 10 it is filled with water to the level of the scupper openings 61 which may have the shutters 62 poisitioned so that water flows continuously into gutter 28 and box 110 from which it is pumped by pump 121 through pipes 120, and 125 to tank 126 where the water is filtered. The filtered water is continuously returned to the pool through pipes 128 and 75 and nozzles 87.

If the operator desires, the scupper openings 61 can be closed and water added until it flows in the skimmer openings 55 if open. The skimmer openings 55 could be closed and then water added to the pool until it flowed into the louvers 90.

Assume that the surge tank 116 is in use when bathers enter the pool and that the water level is at the openings at louver 90, the water level rise would be accommodated by the volume of the surge tank to maximum bather capacity. Water flow is equalized between the tank 116 and collection box 110 by pipe 115 maintaining a water flow into the pool that is continuous and a water level that remains uniform regardless of the number of bathers to and at maximum bather capacity.

tank 116.

Should use of the system without a surge tank be desired, the pool would be filled to the level of scupper openings 61, The rise in water level from overflowing at scuppers 61 to flowing into the louvers 90 by rise in number of bathers entering the pool will not cause the water to overflow onto the decking 122 as the water will flow into louvers 90 and skimmer openings 55. The rate of water flow into the gutter 28 is controlled by the position of shutters 56 and 62. The pool will not overflow as the water level difference between the level at the scupper 61 and the level at louver 90 is equal to the displacement caused by the maximum number of persons for which the pool is designed and who could all be in the pool at any one time.

It is thus apparent that the system can be operated at a multiplicity of levels as desired with a constant flow of filtered water into the pool and with no water loss even at maximum bathing capacity.

I claim:

1. A. Recirculating water supply system for swimming pools which comprises an enclosure extending around the perimeter of the pool at the top and having a water supply conduit and a water return conduit, said enclosure being open at the top and including attached vertical wall, handgrip, bottom wall and rear wall, removable cover sections closing the space between said handgrip and said rear wall, said water supply conduit being disposed in said water return conduit, said cover sections being of substantially solid construction with a ribbed upper surface, means for selectively skimming the top surface of the water into said return water conduit at a plurality of predetermined levels, said means including a water take-off member at a first predetermined upper level, a second water take-off member at a second predetermined intermediate level, a third water take-off member at a third predetermined lower level. said second water take-off member being provided with water flow control means, said water flow control means associated with said second water takeoff control means being in the closed position for skimming at said first level, said third water take-off member being provided with water flow control means, said water flow control means associated with said third water takeoff means being in the closed position for skimming at said first level or at said second level, said first and said third water take-off members being spaced vertically such that the entire surge capacity of the pool can be accommodated therebetween, pump and filter means for delivering water from said water return conduit to said water supply conduit, a collection box exteriorly of said pool, said water return conduit being in communication with said box and said pump beingin communication with said box.

2. A recirculating water supply system as defined in claim 1 in which a surge tank is'pro'vided in communication with said water collection box to accommodate sudden displacment of the water in said pool.

3-. A recirculating water supply system as defined in claim 1 in which said water take-off members are in direct communication with said water return conduit.

4. A recirculating water supply system as defined in claim 2 in which said surge tank has a capacity at leastcqual to the volume of water between the levels of said water take-off members.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 0 Patent No. 3,908,207 Dated Se tember 30, 1975 lnventor(s) William A. Van den BrOek It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1,

Line 8, "pensate" should be pensates Line 12, after "effort" change "expanded" to expended Column 4 Line 29, after "117." delete "k".

Line 45, after "will" change "not" to now Signed and Scaled this twentye D8) of January 19 76 [SEAL] Arrest:

' RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner uj'Parents and Trademarks 

1. A. Recirculating water supply system for swimming pools which comprises an enclosure extending around the perimeter of the pool at the top and having a water supply conduit and a water return conduit, said enclosure being open at the top and including attached vertical wall, handgrip, bottom wall and rear wall, removable cover sections closing the space between said handgrip and said rear wall, said water supply conduit being disposed in said water return conduit, said cover sections being of substantially solid construction with a ribbed upper surface, means for selectively skimming the top surface of the water into saiD return water conduit at a plurality of predetermined levels, said means including a water take-off member at a first predetermined upper level, a second water take-off member at a second predetermined intermediate level, a third water take-off member at a third predetermined lower level, said second water take-off member being provided with water flow control means, said water flow control means associated with said second water take-off control means being in the closed position for skimming at said first level, said third water take-off member being provided with water flow control means, said water flow control means associated with said third water take-off means being in the closed position for skimming at said first level or at said second level, said first and said third water take-off members being spaced vertically such that the entire surge capacity of the pool can be accommodated therebetween, pump and filter means for delivering water from said water return conduit to said water supply conduit, a collection box exteriorly of said pool, said water return conduit being in communication with said box and said pump being in communication with said box.
 2. A recirculating water supply system as defined in claim 1 in which a surge tank is provided in communication with said water collection box to accommodate sudden displacment of the water in said pool.
 3. A recirculating water supply system as defined in claim 1 in which said water take-off members are in direct communication with said water return conduit.
 4. A recirculating water supply system as defined in claim 2 in which said surge tank has a capacity at least equal to the volume of water between the levels of said water take-off members. 